Feeding and moistening means for dry gummed strip material



Aug. 21, 1951 R. w, HolTT 2,565,451

FEEDING AND MOISTENING MEANS FOR DRY GUMMED STRIP MATERIAL Filed March25, 195o r7lllllll/I lill/111 Patented Aug. 21, 1951 FEEDING ANDMOIS-TENING MEANS FOR DRY GUMMED STRIP MATERIAL Robert W. Hoitt, Nashua,N. H., assigner' to.k Nashuay Gummed and Coated Paper` Company, Nashua,N. H., a, corporationof- Massachusetts ApplicationMarch 25, 1950,*Seriali'No. 151,935

(Cl. lll-38)' 6 Claims.

This invention relates to machines and devices for dispensing or servingstrip material and particularly dry gumrned or coated tape forpackaging, sealing, labeling and like purposes. It aims to provideimproved means by which such' tape passes through moistener station.. sothat desired lengths are deliveredy in adhesive condition for use.Typical apparatus of 'the class described-and With-which the means ofithe pres#- ent-invention is generallyI useful is representedin PatentsNos. 2,244,105' and'2,352,ll9.

In theY drawings illustrating byl way of'example oneembodiment of'Y theinvention;

Fig, 1 is' a central longitudinal section; vertically through the frontportion: ofa tape dispenser or strip server;

Fig. 2 is a, topfplanof al portion ofthe moistening and deliveryassembly ofi-Vig. 1v upon asomewhat larger scale,l with the coverY plateof the machine open;

Fig. 3' corresponds to a portion. of Fig. l illustrating differentpositions of the tape moistening and delivery means.

The illustrative machine of Fig; 1 comprises a main-frame or housing.including laterally'spaced side frames IV with supporting feet 2. andcross ties 3; At therear the housingprovidessupporting means for a rollsupply iS of. the tape or strip material to be dispensed. Such means asshown includes a well d-fin'which the tape roll S is rotatablysupported. in` position to be drawn on, as by a.. series of transversebearing rollersr5.

The tape T passes forwardly from the roll supply preferably over a guideroller 6 into a feed channel comprising lower and upper guides 1, 8defining a throat ortape feed passage. Rotary feed means engaging theopposite faces of the tape advance it for severance and delivery inmoistened condition. As illustrated the feed means includes a bottomfeed roll II on a shaft I2 and driven from a hand operating lever orotherwise. t engages the underface of the tape T through an appropriateslot in the underguide IY and in opposition to a cooperating top feedroll I3y rotatably supported on a stud shaft I4. This upper member I3 ofthe feed roll pair is carried on a bracket I5 pivot-ally mounted on across shaft IB enabling the. roll I3v readily to be lifted away fromytheoppcsite roll I I to facilitate initial threading in of the tape.Feeding relation of the rolls with the tape T to be advanced'betweenthem is normally maintained as byy a springr I'l loading the toproll'bracket I5.

The tape. T as advanced by the. feed means moves forwardly along theguides I, `8 to andV past means for severing' itl into desired lengths',illustraten as comprising a. movable bladeA or' cutter I8' on a yoke I9pivoted on the cross shaft. I 6 mentioned and! normally heldclear of thetape path asby a spring 2B'. A stationary severing element. 2I. attheopposite face of the tape path cooperates withy the' movable blade I8 tocut the tape. Forwardly beyond the cutter' means;` I8, 2i the tapepathcoutinues across a. lower guide plate 23, between the latter and anoverlyingv de.- flector or top` guide plate 25 having lateralarms 26,Fig. 2, whereby it is operatively positioned with" capacity. for bodilyvertical'movement away froml the opposite guide" 23, as by. means of thefinger pieceV 25a;

The described guide pair 23, 25 direct-s the'tape to ai. moistureapplicator or mcistening; and delivery means of the.-` capillaryl wickor brush type. Such-means" includes a removable tank or reservoir' 3l)-for the Water or moistening liquid, disposed between the front portionsof the side frames l Where it issupported asbya, cross strap 3| and atthe'front by one of the cross ties 3. The tank 3) is heldin. operativepositionby bottom lugs 32. which straddle the cross tie.

The moistening or applicator means proper as illustrated comprises oneor more invertedbristle brushes 35,.35 disposed in generally upright`position with the butts 36 resting on ribs 31: on the bottom wall ofthe tank. The individual brushes 35 illustrated in effect constitutesections` of a capillary moistener unit. The lower portions of thebrushes are operatively locatedwwith capacity for self-adjustmentbetween vertical front and rear transverse ns 3.8 and an intermediate 'n39, these being interrupted to permit distribution of the liquidthroughout the tank.

The tape T issuing forwardly from between the guides 2'3, 25 is directedacross the upwardly projecting free ends of the brushes 35', betweenthem and a single overlying bodily floating rotary depressor element 40.The depressor 4l] herein novelly comprises atransversely extending rigidhollow cylindrical roll 4I! in the form of a tubular sleeve or tubingsection, open from end to end and wherein the inner diameter is suchmajor fractionoftlie outer diameter that the wall thickness is only thatconsistent with substantial rigidity and with a weight for the roll as awhole, having regard to the material selected, preferably anoncorrosiveV metal of the heavier vclass such as brass, bronze,stainless steel and the like, adapting the roll to depress the tape TintoA proper rn'oisteningv relation for its underface V with thevertically opposed free ends of ythe brushes 35,

regardless of the exact level of the latter. Further, the internaldiameter also is so calculated with reference to roll-positioning guidemeans extending through the roll and so engageable chordally with theinner surface thereof at opposite sides of the vertical plane centrallythrough the kroll that the latter has capacity for self-adjustingpositional variation vertically through a range at least equalling aboutone-half the inner radius of the roll.

Such roll guide means operatively retains the roll in verticalopposition to the brush means 35 subject to the stated capacity forautomatic generally vertical depressing and relieving movement bodilytoward and from said brush means over a substantial range, such forexample as represented in Fig. 3 by the full and dotted showings. Theroll guide means for this purpose may be variously constructed topresent front and rear portions or elements herein illustrated ashorizontally spaced locator bars 4l and 42 together constituting a guideand rotary bearing unit. As shown they are disposed at slightlydifferent levels, with the front member or portion 4| of the unitsomewhat higher. Hence when the roll 40 moves down it tends to besomewhat advanced in the direction of the tape feed, as seen bycomparison of the full and dotted roll positions in Fig. 3. In theexample shown the locator bars 4|, 42 are removably and preferablyadjustably mounted on the machine as by bearer blocks 43 demountablysecured as by screws 44 at the inner faces of the respective side framesi. The rear locator bar 42 herein serves also as a positioner pivot forthe side arms 26 of the top guide 25 previously mentioned. Similarly thefront locator bar 4l provides pivotal support for the top cover plate 9,shown swung open in Fig. 2, fingers 9a on the cover being journalled onthe opposite end portions of the bar 4I and being extended inwardly toengage beneath the rear bar 42 as an opening stop for the cover.Forwardly beyond the moistening and guiding means comprising the pluralbrush element 35 and the described hollow floating roll 40 the tape Tissues across a delivery table 45 herein constituted as a top cover forthe tank 30.

From the foregoing description in connection with the drawings it willbe apparent that the hollow roll 40 and the retaining guide and bearingmeans 4l, 42 therefor are so relatively proportioned, constructed andarranged that the roll 40 is at all times retained lengthwise of thefeedA path in a position of general vertical opposition to the moistenermeans 35 but with capacity for vertical rise and fall in the generalvertical transverse plane of the brushes through a range of at leastabout one-half the inner radius of the roll 4|] and between a quarterand a third of the overall outer diameter thereof. And said outer rolldiameter in turn approximates the total extent of the brush element 35in the path of travel of the tape. Accordingly the structurally simplemoistener and tape guiding couple 35, 40 has an importantly extendedcapacity for mutual self-adjustment and accommodation to the tape path,the roll automatically rising and falling as required to maintain propermoistening contact of the tape with the brush element, following down topreserve said moistening relation as the brush or brushes bend or becomecompacted in use.

My invention is not limited to the particular embodiment thereofillustrated and described herein, and I set forth its scope in myfollowing claims.

I claim:

l. A gummed tape dispenser comprising a frame, a support thereon for aroll tape supply, feeding means to advance selected lengths of the tapefrom the supply along a path to a delivery station, a reservoir havingan up extending moistener brush therein below the tape path near thedelivery end thereof, and rotary depressor means for the tape above andin general vertical line with the brush, said means comprising a hollowcylindrical roll of an outer diameter at least about equal to thethickness of the brush and an inner diameter substantially greater thanone-half the outer diameter, and stationary roll- -retaining guide meansextending lengthwise through the roll and having greater extent in thedirection paralleling the tape path than at right angles thereto forpermitting relatively extensive movement of the roll in the latterdirection and more restricted movement in the tape path direction.

2. A tape dispensing machine having a frame, a support thereon for atape supply to be drawn on, feeding means to advance lengths of the tapealong a path upon the frame, a moistener for the under face of the tape,said moistener being of a capillary type subject to vertical variationin use, a hollow tubular depressor roll for gravity contact with theupper face of the tape vertically opposite the moistener, said roll of alength exceeding the tape width and being uniformly open from end toend, the diameter of the roll opening being at least half the outer rolldiameter, and roll-retaining guide means stationarily suppord by theframe and having the roll hung thereon in encompassing relation, saidmeans having in the direction generally paralleling the tape path anextent somewhat less than the roll inner diameter and having in thevertical direction a materially less extent whereby the roll is variablypositionable horizontally and' verticaly and to a greater extent in thelatter direction.

3. Guiding and moistening means for gummed tape dispensing machines,comprising a liquid reservoir, an inverted moistener brush projectingfor contact with the gummed under face of the tape', a stationary guideelement spaced vertically above and extending transversely across thebrush, said element having a predetermined substantial extend in thehorizontal direction and being of materially less extent in the verticaldirection, and a rigid sleeve-like cylindrical roll rotatablysurrounding said| guide element and having a inner diameter exceedingthe horizontal extent of said guide element and an outer diameter but aminor fraction longer than said inner diameter, whereby the roll isvertically conformable to the brush through a substantial range ofvariation in vertical extent thereof and also is bodily movable in thefore and' aft direction.

4. Guiding and moistening means according to claim 3 wherein the guideelement comprises a pair of parallel bars having stationary supportingmeans at the respective ends.

5. Guiding and moistening means according to claim 3 wherein themoistener comprises a tandem pair of brushes and the roll outer diameterapproximates the adjacent collective thickness of the brushes.

6. In a dispenser for gummed tape, a frame providing support for a tapesupply to be delivered in moistened lengths and having means dening apath for advance of the tape from the supply to a delivery station, aliquid reservoir underlying the tape path adjacent the delivery station,a capillary moistener element generally vertically disposed in thereservoir and projecting to a level to dene a portion of the tape path,said moistener element having a yielding structure such that theprojecting extremity is subject to vertical variation in use, a singlehollow cylindrical roll of an overall diameter approximating the extentof the moistener in and length- Wise of the tape path and having aninner die ameter substantially greater than one-half the outer diameter,and roll positioning guide means carried by the frame and extendinglengthwise through the hollow interior of the roll so as to retain it ingeneral vertical opposition to the moistener element, said guide meanshaving front and rear margins disposed in parallel vertical planesspaced in the direction of the tape path by less than the inner diameterof the roll and said guide means having substantially less extentvertically, whereby the roll is afforded a substantial range of bodilymovement both in the direction of the tape path and also to a greaterextent perpendicularly thereto so that the roll is enabled to floatrotatably on and depress the tape into moistening relation with themoistener element at varying positions thereof.

ROBERT W. HOITT.

REFEREN CES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 913,614 Brownson Feb. 23, 19092,226,566 Krueger Dec. 31, 1940 2,244,105 Gautier June 3, 1941 2,305,424Hoitt Dec. 15, 19112

